Sheet conveying apparatus

Abstract

A sheet conveying apparatus includes an intermediate plate ( 21 b ) as a sheet receiving member configured to stack a sheet, a feed roller ( 22 ) as a feed rotator configured to feed the sheet stacked on the intermediate plate ( 21 b ), and a separation roller ( 23 ) as a separation member configured to separate the sheet from a sheet bundle stacked on the intermediate plate ( 21 b ). The sheet conveying apparatus further includes a restrict member ( 60 ) as a restrict portion disposed so as to reach a position overlapped in a width direction orthogonal to a sheet conveying direction with the feed roller ( 22 ) as at least one member among the feed roller ( 22 ) and the separation roller ( 23 ) and offset in the width direction from the feed roller ( 22 ), and restricting a leading end position of the sheet stacked on the intermediate plate ( 21 b ). This arrangement enables to improve sheet conveying performance because the restrict member ( 60 ) can restrict the leading end position of the sheet stacked on the intermediate plate ( 21 b ).

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A sheet conveying apparatus, comprising:
 a sheet receiving member on which a sheet is stacked; 
 a feed rotator configured to feed the sheet stacked on the sheet receiving member; 
 a separation member configured to separate the sheet from a sheet bundle stacked on the sheet receiving member; 
 a restrict portion disposed so as to reach a position where the restrict portion is overlapped in a width direction orthogonal to a sheet conveying direction of the feed rotator with at least one member among the feed rotator and the separation member and where the restrict portion is offset in the width direction from the one member, and restricting a leading end position of the sheet stacked on the sheet receiving member; 
 a moving portion that moves the sheet receiving member between a feed position where the sheet stacked on the sheet receiving member is bought into contact with the feed rotator and a standby position distant from the feed rotator more than the feed position; and
 an abut portion fixed to a case and disposed between the sheet receiving member and a nip portion formed by the feed rotator and the separation member such that a leading end of the sheet stacked on the sheet receiving member abuts against the abut portion in the standby position, 
 wherein the separation member is a separation rotator which is disposed downstream of the sheet receiving member, in the sheet conveying direction, with a gap formed between the separation rotator and the sheet receiving member and is configured to come into contact and to form the nip portion with the feed rotator and to move the sheet in a direction opposite from the sheet conveying direction to separate the sheet one by one from the sheet bundle on the sheet receiving member, and 
 wherein the restrict portion includes a restrict member disposed from the abut portion so as to reach a position where the restrict member is overlapped in the width direction orthogonal to the sheet conveying direction and where the restrict member is offset in the width direction from the feed rotator and configured to restrict a leading end position of the sheet to be conveyed; and 
 a project member that projects from the downstream end of the sheet receiving member, in the sheet conveying direction, to a position where the project member is overlapped in the width direction with the separation rotator and where the project member is offset in the width direction from the separation rotator and configured to restrict a leading end position of the sheet stacked on the sheet receiving member. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The sheet conveying apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the restrict member has a pair of restrict elements provided by leaving a predetermined space therebetween in the width direction; and
 wherein a sheet whose width is smaller than the predetermined space is guided to the nip portion by passing through the space between the pair of restrict elements, and a sheet whose width is larger than the predetermined space is guided to the nip portion in contact with the pair of restrict elements. 
 
     
     
       3. The sheet conveying apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the pair of restrict elements is formed such that surfaces thereof facing with each other in the width direction are tapered in a direction in which the closer the front edge thereof, the wider the space becomes. 
     
     
       4. The sheet conveying apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the pair of restrict elements is disposed respectively on both sides in the width direction of the separation member. 
     
     
       5. The sheet conveying apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the restrict member and the project member are disposed so as to be overlapped in the width direction at least when the sheet receiving member is in the feed position. 
     
     
       6. The sheet conveying apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a surface of the restrict member against which a sheet stacked on the sheet receiving member abuts is formed continuously with a surface of the abut portion against which a sheet stacked on the sheet receiving member abuts. 
     
     
       7. The sheet conveying apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the restrict member has concave and convex portions formed along the width direction on a surface thereof against which the sheet stacked on the sheet receiving member abuts. 
     
     
       8. The sheet conveying apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the restrict member is provided with a rubber material on a surface thereof against which a sheet stacked on the sheet receiving member abuts such that a front edge thereof projects from the restrict member. 
     
     
       9. The sheet conveying apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the restrict member is formed such that an angle formed by a surface against which a sheet stacked on the sheet receiving member abuts and the sheet conveying direction is an obtuse angle. 
     
     
       10. The sheet conveying apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the separation rotator is composed of a plurality of separation elements; and
 wherein the project member is composed of a plurality of project elements formed such that the project elements project from the downstream end of the sheet receiving member, in the sheet conveying direction, to a gap between widthwise end surfaces of the plurality of separation elements and to positions adjacent to widthwise both ends of the separation rotator. 
 
     
     
       11. A sheet conveying apparatus, comprising:
 a sheet receiving member on which a sheet is stacked; 
 a feed rotator configured to feed the sheet stacked on the sheet receiving member; 
 a separation member configured to separate the sheet from a sheet bundle stacked on the sheet receiving member; and 
 a restrict portion disposed so as to reach a position where the restrict portion is overlapped in a width direction orthogonal to a sheet conveying direction of the feed rotator with at least one member among the feed rotator and the separation member and where the restrict portion is offset in the width direction from the one member, and restricting a leading end position of the sheet stacked on the sheet receiving member, 
 wherein the separation member is a separation rotator which is disposed downstream of the sheet receiving member, in the sheet conveying direction with a gap formed between the separation rotator and the sheet receiving member and is configured to move the sheet in a direction opposite from the sheet conveying direction to separate the sheet one by one from the sheet bundle on the sheet receiving member; and
 wherein the restrict portion includes a project member that projects through the gap from the downstream end of the sheet receiving member, in the sheet conveying direction, to a position where the project member is overlapped in the width direction orthogonal to the sheet conveying direction with the separation rotator and where the project member is offset in the width direction from the separation rotator. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The sheet conveying apparatus according to  claim 11 , further comprising a drive source that rotationally drives the separation rotator in a direction opposite from the sheet conveying direction. 
     
     
       13. The sheet conveying apparatus according to  claim 11 , further comprising a resilient member that resiliently deforms when the separation rotator rotates in the same direction with the sheet conveying direction as a sheet is conveyed, is resiliently restored when the sheet that has rotated the separation rotator separates from the separation rotator, and rotates the separation rotator in a direction opposite from the sheet conveying direction by the resilient restoring force. 
     
     
       14. The sheet conveying apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the sheet receiving member is supported by a case such that the downstream end in the sheet conveying direction is rockable in a direction in which the sheet receiving member approaches to/separates from the feed rotator; and
 wherein the project member is formed such that the project member does not come into contact with the feed rotator regardless of the move of the sheet receiving member approaching to/separating from the feed rotator. 
 
     
     
       15. The sheet conveying apparatus according to  claim 11 , further comprising a rotary member rotatably supported at a position facing to the feed rotator of the sheet receiving member centering on a rotational shaft disposed in the width direction and configured to pinch a sheet with the feed rotator. 
     
     
       16. The sheet conveying apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the separation rotator is composed of a plurality of separation elements; and
 wherein the project member is composed of a plurality of project elements formed such that the project elements project from the downstream end of the sheet receiving member, in the sheet conveying direction, to a gap between widthwise end surfaces of the plurality of separation elements and to positions adjacent to widthwise both ends of the separation rotator. 
 
     
     
       17. The sheet conveying apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the sheet receiving member is provided such that own weight of a sheet on the sheet receiving member acts in a direction of approaching the separation rotator when the apparatus is in an operative condition.